breastfeeding

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alisha123
alisha123 Posts: 71
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone out there breastfeeding? I'm back on my fitnesspal after I had had my baby boy and want to lose weight but I know I need extra calories for breastfeeding. I increased my allowed calories from 1200 to 1600. Is that a good amount? (I'm only 5'00")

Replies

  • Chipperoo23
    Chipperoo23 Posts: 42
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    That's probably good. BF usually burns an extra 500 a day. :)
  • Mookz0r
    Mookz0r Posts: 143
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    you should be having 500 extra cals if you're exclusively breastfeeding and 300 if your milk is being supplemented (with solids). The recommendation is therefore to not go under 1800 if your Lo is under 6 months old (assuming you're exclusively bf) or 1600 if you're supplementing... and that isn't your "goal" calories, that is the minimum!

    To give you an idea, in the 1st 6 months of my youngest's life, I was eating around 2200 cals a day and lost 15kg (30-35lb?) - I wasn't counting then. When I started MFP, my son was 11 months old and feeding twice every 24h, so I dropped to 1600-1800 and lost about 2lb a week., then once he'd self-weaned, dropped to 1400 and I'm nearly at my goal.

    Anything under the minimum and your body will divert the resources away from your milk production and back to itself to survive. You can't trick it in that respect - if you don't eat enough (and not enough full-fat stuff) then your milk will suffer. My first question to any mum who is having trouble breastfeeding is "are you eating enough?" - I run a peer support group here in Dubai.
  • adrianhelen
    adrianhelen Posts: 31 Member
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    If you are exclusively breastfeeding then yes you need the additional 500 calories per day. Just keep in mind that the additional is on top of what it took to sustain you pre-pregnancy. However I think you can play with it a little if you are not exclusively breastfeeding. I would start at top of the spectrum and play with it. If you find that you are losing weight too fast and your supply is decreasing go up. If you find that you are not losing weight fast enough and your supply is fine go down. I would not make a move of anymore than 50 calories at a time. Also keep in mind that you do not want to lose over 2 pounds a week. Actually when you are breastfeeding 1 pound per week is optimum.
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    Yes! I exclusively pump only 3-4x per day and my baby eats half my milk & half formula. I am eating about 1400-1600 calories per day
  • alisha123
    alisha123 Posts: 71
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    Thanks everyone. Sarah, I do the same as you. Now that I'm back to work I just always pump 3 or 4 times a day and my 3 and half month old gets the rest from formula. I haven't counted the calories since he's been born but now I want to start losing weight so I want to start counting.
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    Yea same here. I feel like I eat enough, my milk supply is still ok. I wasnt producing enough once she started eating more so thats why we started half & half; plus I was getting burned out. I almost completely quit a couple of times. Ive been on here for a week and have lost 2 pds so far :) you can do it!
  • wife2mikejh
    wife2mikejh Posts: 56
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    Sarah, you might could try some Fenugreek to help up your supply. Also eating oatmeal helps a lot!

    I eat 1850 calories a day since I am still nursing my almost 19 month old. Once she completely weans I am going to drop down slowly to 1500.
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    Wow that is awesome... 19 months!

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